God's Word to the United States: The Book of Obadiah

By James Tarter

Many Christians have wondered why there is no prophecy about the United States in the Bible, because it prophesies much about the world today. In this book we can see clearly that God prophesies about the U.S. in Obadiah as the nation approaches choosing decisively for or against Jesus. Obadiah reveals two alternative futures: one will be chosen, which will also reject the other. One future is gross sin and a resulting just judgment of being destroyed forever from being a people. The other future is a wonderful transformation of the U.S. by joining itself to Christ Jesus as one of His national disciples. As the Bible shows, believers in Jesus within a land prepare (or fail to prepare) the U.S. or any nation to make the good choice. "God's Word" duplicates "A Prophecy for the United States" (don't buy both). "God's Just Judgment of a Nation" is a less specific picture that comes from a bigger Scripture: all 12 Minor Prophets.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: May 3, 2011
• ISBN: 9781257689989

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God's Word to the United States: The Book of Obadiah

God’s Word to the United States

The Book of Obadiah

Dr. James M. Tarter

Copyright Page

Ninth Edition

ISBN 978-1-257-68998-9

Copyright 1991, 2008, 2014, 2018 by James M. Tarter.  All rights reserved.  Permission granted to make copies for purposes consistent with furthering the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God.

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE® (1995 Updated Edition): 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation.  Used by permission.  (www.Lockman.org)

I call the New American Standard Bible the NAS.  I add boldface to specific words and phrases in Scriptures to add my emphasis for discussion.

Introduction: God’s Amazing Word in the Minor Prophets

Many Christians have wondered why there is no prophecy about the United States in the Bible, because it contains many specific prophecies about the current world situation.  In this book we can see clearly that God prophesies about the U.S. in the Bible, even though none of us sees this word until He opens it up to us.

The Minor Prophets, the twelve shortest prophetic books in the Old Testament, provide a great prophetic word about nations in our day.  Within them is the shortest book of the Old Testament, Obadiah.  There God placed His word in Scripture to the mighty United States – a word that an arrogant U.S. and its Christians truly need to hear.

Much of Obadiah also applies to other Gentile nations today with a partly Judeo-Christian foundation and heritage from past generations.  We shall see (Chapter 2) that such a nation is well described by the term Edom, and so I call this kind of nation today a modern Edom.

Except for addressing the prophecy to Edom in Ob. 1 and saying that arrogance has deceived you in v. 3, v. 1-9 are specific for the U.S.  In contrast, Ob. 10-21 applies to all modern Edoms.

In this book I primarily address U.S. believers.  If believers in other modern Edoms see how Obadiah applies to the U.S., then they can realize what fits and what is different for their own nation.  This also helps me to be more specific than abstract and to go beyond my limited knowledge of another modern Edom.  I use modern Edom especially when I want readers to realize that a standard or principle applies to all nations with a partly Judeo-Christian foundation and heritage today, which include the U.S.

Concerned spiritual believers in the U.S. are busy with things they believe that God has called them to do.  I don’t want to distract you into anything less.  I’ll tell you what I offer, and you can read what helps.

I recommend reading Chapters 1-3: they are a foundation for accurately applying Obadiah to the U.S.  Chapters 4-10 are more optional, although Chapters 6-8 provide a fresh perspective about the U.S. and Israel, and Chapter 9 provides a unique perspective of the spiritual war raging in the U.S. now.  Chapter 10 shows the horror if we do poorly in this war, but Chapter 11 shows a wonderful transformation of a U.S. or other nation discipled to Jesus.  I must recommend reading Chapters 12-15: they show from the Bible what the Church must do in order for the U.S. to receive Jesus for its healing.  Finally, I put the key insights from each chapter into a concluding appendix.  It can be used as a summary or as a quicker way to see highlights of a skipped chapter.

This book is essentially the same as A Prophecy for the United States – don’t buy both!  It differs by having highlights at the end of each long chapter instead of your book’s final appendix, which has key insights from each chapter.  Also, six other books related to healing a nation today are briefly described at the end of your book.

Chapter 1: Obadiah for the United States Now

The vision of Obadiah.  Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom…. For the day of the Lord draws near on all the nations (Ob. 1a, 15a).

The man Obadiah was seeing only ancient Edom centuries before Christ, but God inspired him to speak a word about Edom that applies to many nations today as well.  As we shall see soon (Chapter 2), a modern Gentile nation with a partly Judeo-Christian foundation and heritage from past generations is well described by the term Edom.  Therefore I call such a nation today a modern Edom.

The United States is the leading example of a modern Edom now.  Each verse in Obadiah (1-21) contains at least two significant potential applications for the U.S. either now or in the near future.  Furthermore, we shall see that Ob. 3-9 is so specific for the U.S. that most of it does not apply to any other modern Edom.  These features give us many confirmations that all of Obadiah applies to the U.S.

The Day of the Lord drawing near on all nations (Ob. 15a, above) was a very important characteristic of the time of Obadiah and ancient Edom long ago. This also is a major source of the often-bizarre actions of the nations today.  The Bible shows that Ob. 15 can refer to both 2600 years ago and this time that leads up to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Many Christians might wonder if v. 15 applies now, but we shall see that the Day of the Lord is drawing near on all nations as we see how all of Obadiah describes the U.S. today so precisely.

I use today and our day to refer to a time which began in the 1940s and leads up to the return of the Lord Jesus.  Now has this meaning or else is explicitly contrasted in the context with the past few decades or the near future of 2014.  Many major developments in the Bible began in the 1940s and are moving toward their consummation at Jesus’ return, but discussing them is not within the scope of this book about Obadiah and the U.S. (Apx. 9-10 of God’s Just Judgment of a Nation Supplement discuss unique prophesied developments of nations since the 1940s.  See the end of the book for this and other related books from the Bible about healing nations in our day.).  Here it is enough to simply identify this time period.

One key development in the nations now makes our day special and can affect our understanding of parts of Obadiah.  In order to be a commission, Jesus’ Great Commission to disciple all the nations must be fulfilled before He returns, not afterward (Matt. 28:18-20).  Like an individual, a nation can accept or reject God’s call to be joined to the Lord Jesus as a disciple, and many nations will accept it: Many nations will join themselves to the Lord in that day and will become My people (Zech. 2:11a).  However, Satan’s deceptions and Christian inactivity can cause other nations to reject their great opportunity for life in Jesus.  Wherever this happens, the nation will receive a terrible national judgment that the Minor Prophets call the day of the Lord.

The Basic Message of Obadiah to the United States

Obadiah reveals that the U.S. is now making its crucial choice for or against Jesus, and reveals the opposite directions it takes us.  Our nation’s choice produces one of two starkly contrasting futures.

One is a deterioration into gross sin and a resulting just judgment of being permanently and completely annihilated from being a people.  The terrible destruction of Edom is obvious from reading Obadiah.

Another national future is a remarkably wonderful transformation of the U.S. by being joined to the Lord Jesus as one of His national disciples.  This picture of blessing is contained in v. 15-21, but it is harder to see than the devastating future.

Obadiah also reveals what the U.S. needs most from its Christians in order to receive its blessed future.

The Prophetic Purpose of God’s Word in Obadiah to the U.S.

Consider God’s purposes for prophetic words to the Church in 1Cor. 14:3: But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.  Translations of the last word vary, but a literal meaning is to come beside an afflicted one to speak words of comfort or encouragement.  God gives prophetic words in order to build us up in Christ and to help us respond better to Him.

A plausible interpretation of everything in Obadiah meaningfully applies to the U.S. and its Christians since the 1960s or into an easily projected near future.  All of these applications to the U.S. now fit into God’s purposes for prophetic words.  This is unique: I do not see any other large Biblical prophecy about a Biblical nation that fully applies to a modern Gentile nation.  Therefore I conclude that Obadiah is a prophetic word from God about the U.S. to especially its Christians.

Jer. 18:7-10 shows us how to interpret any prophecy from God about the destiny of any nation.  Here God says:

⁷At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it; ⁸if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it.  ⁹Or at another moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to build up or to plant it; ¹⁰if it does evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will think better of the good with which I had promised to bless it. (Jer. 18:7-10)

These principles from God are essential for understanding His prophecy about any nation.  He will relent if it repents.  Therefore His clear words of a future national devastation in Ob. 1-18 are better interpreted as solemn warnings that can stir the U.S. and its believers to repent.  Without repentance, these prophecies will be completely fulfilled on the U.S. and its people.

Jer. 18:7-10 can help us give the correct balance to the great and awful futures prophesied in Obadiah.  More than a threat of getting devastated due to sin, this is a strong exhortation to repent.  The picture of a blessed national future in Jesus can give direction, a vision, and great encouragement to believers who see the mighty forces for evil at work in the United States.  Both visions can stimulate us to turn to God and do what He shows us to do.

What is the prophetic purpose of learning about current and future developments? To give us head knowledge that can help us get puffed up with pride?  No, to help us grow and do better.  Obadiah can help us move toward fulfilling this purpose: as we understand this word, we can see God’s perspective about the U.S. and the current world situation, and see what God wants His people and the U.S. to do now and in the future.  Our obedience by faith would bring His kingdom and His will to earth in the way that He desires, and would save the U.S.

Chapter 1 is intended to provide the gist of the word in Obadiah for modern Edoms and especially the U.S. now.  In Chapters 2-12 we shall systematically examine the major words from Obadiah for these nations.  We shall begin in Chapter 2 by seeing how Edom is a most meaningful name for a nation today with a partly Judeo-Christian foundation and heritage from past generations.

Chapter 2: The Nations in Obadiah Then and Now

…Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom….Because of violence to your brother Jacob, you [Edom] will be covered with shame, and you will be cut off forever.  On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth, and foreigners entered his gate and cast lots for Jerusalem – you too were as one of them.  (Ob. 1, 10-11)

Ob. 10-11 identifies the three types of nations in Obadiah: the nation descended from Jacob, its brother nation Edom or Esau, and nations that are called strangers and foreigners to these brother nations. Examining these descriptive terms for these nations will reveal God’s values and how He views nations, and will help us understand how the book of Obadiah is being worked out before our eyes today.

Who are Jacob and Edom in Obadiah? The origin of these nations can show us.  Abraham received God’s promises in his generation, and God continued them with Abraham’s son Isaac in his generation.  Isaac’s two sons were Esau and Jacob – God later named him Israel.  Near 600 BC Judah (with its capital, Jerusalem) was the only nation descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Edom was the nation descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’s brother Esau.  This is the way that these two nations were brothers, and near 600 BC they were the only nations descended from these key people before God.

The Epistles let us see that receiving God’s promises is a key feature in our life and relationship with Him.  In Rom. 9:6-9 Paul even uses the term children of the promise to identify which descendants of Abraham are the children of God:

⁶But it is not as though the word of God has failed.  For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; ⁷nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: through Isaac your descendants will be named.  ⁸That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.  ⁹For this is the word of promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.  (Rom. 9:6-9)

And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise. (Gal. 3:29)

2Pet. 1:3-4 shows that receiving God’s promises is tremendously important for us, equipping us even to partake of His divine nature:

Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.  For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

Gen. 28:13-15, Rom. 11, and Rom. 4 show that our faithful God continues to work with His chosen physical descendants of Abraham in addition to working with all who are spiritual descendants by faith:

And behold, the Lord stood above it and said [to Jacob], "I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and your descendants.  Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.  Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you." (Gen. 28:13-15)

For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery – so that you will not be wise in your own estimation – that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob."  (Rom. 11:25-26)

He [Abraham] might become the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised….For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.  (Rom. 4:11b-16)

Rom. 4 and Gal. 3:29 show that believers in Christ Jesus are like Isaac in a most vital way: we are the sons of Abraham and the heirs of God’s promises and blessings to him by faith.

In past generations of many nations today, believers in the Lord Jesus worked to establish a Judeo-Christian foundation and heritage for their nation.  These Christian forefathers of each nation today had no more than partial success in creating this foundation.  I call a nation now that does have a partial Judeo-Christian foundation and heritage from the nation’s past generations a modern Edom.  Its Christian forefathers are precisely like Isaac – sons of Abraham – in forming the ancient nations descended from Abraham: Judah and Edom.

After